Invisible Illness Awareness Week Sponsored by Christian Illness Ministry

Contact: Lisa Copen, Rest Ministries, 858-486-4685

MEDIA ADVISORY, Sept. 8 /Christian Newswire/ — Rest Ministries, the largest Christian organization that specifically serves the chronically ill, is the sponsor of National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week, September 13-19, 2010.

Lisa Copen, 41, began Rest Ministries in 1996 following a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. “I was looking for a way to connect with others who were living with a chronic condition, for encouragement and support for what my life may hold,” says Copen.

After a few years of networking people who live with chronic conditions through online ministry and support groups in churches called HopeKeepers(R), Copen saw many people who were suffering from feeling misunderstood.

“Even those who coped the best with their physical limitations had a lot of emotions about feeling like no one understood how great the pain was,” shares Copen. “National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week was a way to be able to validate the pain people were feeling, and create more awareness overall, including in the faith communities.”

Many participants are having resource tables at their churches during Invisible Illness Week. Support groups are having community events and a lot of people are participating in online activities, including a virtual conference September 13-17 via Blog Talk Radio and blogging for the cause.

When you sign up for daily updates from InvisibleIllnessWeek.com you receive a free 80-page ebook written by Copen and other illness experts, “Chronic Illness Tips: 263 Ways to do More Than Just Get By.”

Rest Ministries provides a variety of resources and programs such as online daily devotionals one can receive via email. Copen has authored a dozen books for the ministry such as “Why Can’t I Make People Understand? Discovering The Validation Those with Chronic Illness Seek and Why.”

With nearly 1 in 2 people living with a chronic condition, about 96% of those people are suffering silently with invisible illnesses where their pain cannot be seen. Through Invisible Illness Week Rest Ministries hopes to let people know they are not alone and that someone does understand and care about their struggles.

Rest Ministries is an affiliate of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, the ministry of Joni Eareckson Tada. Copen is a popular speaker who has been a guest on TV programs such as “Heroes Among Us” and “Peace in The Storm,” and radio programs Family Radio, Joni and Friends, and Billy Graham’s Decision Today.

For information: InvisibleIllnessWeek.com.

Kevin was diagnosed with Systemic Rheumatoid Arthritis at age six and was told he would be in a wheelchair by age 20. Aside from affecting the joints, this rare form of RA also attacks the lungs, heart, liver, spleen and other internal organs. In “middle age” (his words, not ours [smile]) he still does not require a wheelchair and has survived 3 events that should have taken his life, including a near-death experience. In addition his arms were once covered in burning gas, yet not even the hair on his arms was singed. Through all the miracles, he credits God with the success in his life. You can read more about Kevin including many blog posts he has added to his page in the Sunroom.

Kevin began this group, in part, because writing has helped him to cope with issues in his own life. Sometimes it is just the process of taking time to sort through one’s feelings. At others, it redirects one’s own thought processes in a way that allows God to reveal something important.

Writing also provides a medium to teach others about chronic and rare diseases. The story, titled “The Conscientious Doctor,” in the Writing for Therapy group depicts how even medical professionals are underinformed about Systemic Juvenille Rheumatiod Arthritis. It also shows how family members sometimes underestimate what patients with chronic illness tell them. The poem by RSD Girl, titled “Sometimes Mommies Cry,” not only shares insight about RSD it also reveals a part of life many parents that have chronic illness must deal with.

We couldn’t be more happy about this because it also goes along with our National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week theme of “Each One Can Reach One.” We love the scripture 2 Corthinthians 1:3,4:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

And if by chance, writing is not your thing but art is, be sure to check out Amber’s new group “Art Therapy.”

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Their brochure states, “They are all around us; sometimes vocal but often silent. We walk with them, sit with them, maybe even live with them. Occasionally – we are one of them. People in pain.”

It is November 5 & 6, 2010, (Fri 6:30-9:00 pm; Sat 9 am-4:30 pm) at WESTERN SEMINARY, Portland, OR in the Johnson Chapel.

Keynote speakers include Rick McKinley, the founder and pastor of Imago Dei Community and Bev Hislop, Associate Professor of Pastoral Care to Women and Exec. Director of the Women’s Center for Ministry at Western Seminary. Bev is also the author of the book, Shepherding Women in Pain: Real Women, Real Issues and What You Need to Know to Truly Help. (Note: Bev Hislop has a beautiful web site of resources you may want to check out!)

We’d like to thank Bev too! Bev says, “[Rest Ministries] is the first [resource] listed at the end of Chapter 9 “Physical Disabilities, Chronic Pain and the Aging Process” by Ev Waldon in my book Shepherding Women in Pain: Real Women, Real Issues and What You Need to Know to Truly Help. Ev Waldon will be teaching the Breakout Session at this conference. Most of the speakers are contributing authors to this book.”

We are thrilled to see this topic being covered at the conference and thankful for Bev including Rest Ministries in her book too! They have said that Ev will also be happy to have some Rest Ministries brochures there. We are very grateful for their inclusion of Rest Ministries as a resource for those in pain.

More information is at their web site, Western Seminary, including the additional topics that will be covered, registration information and how to receive credits for attending.

Related articles on the web

• Let Your Church Know About Invisible Illness Awareness Week (invisibleillnessweek.com)
• “I Just Want To Help!” When People Comment On Your Illness (invisibleillnessweek.com)
• What Exactly Is A Chronic Illness And Who Defines It? (invisibleillnessweek.com)
• Living With Invisible Illness: 5 Ways To Get Over Aggravations (invisibleillnessweek.com)

For more information on Daily Devotionals for the Deaf visit their web site.

We know that you will find some support and understanding with these 40 or so other men that are going through similar circumstances.

In Living With Chronic Illness, by Cheri Register she says:

When the husband is the partner in the marriage with the illness, his usual role as fully involved husband, father, and provider is disrupted. The division of responsibilities that the husband and wife are accustomed to becomes unbalanced, with more and more transferred to the healthy wife.

The home is then restructured with the wife assuming her own responsibilities, the responsibilities of her sick husband, and the role of nurse too. Conflict can arise when the sick husband feels tension and frustration because he cannot function in every capacity that he once did.

Join our group for men with chronic illness, Just Men, in our Sunroom to hear more about HopeKeepers and ask questions of current leaders. This is the place to find out what’s working, what’s not and lots more.

Ministries We Like For Men

Ransomed Hearts
The ministry of John Eldredge which has some wonderful podcasts and other resources for men who are wondering, “Is this really what life is supposed to be like for me?”

Promise Keepers
Based in Denver, Colorado, Promise Keepers has directly reached more than five and a half million men since its founding in 1990. Their mission is to ignite and unite men to become passionate followers of Jesus Christ through the effective communication of seven promises to God, their fellow men, family, church and the world. Promise Keepers’ vision is simply put in three words: “Men Transformed Worldwide.”

Web Sites/Articles for Men With Chronic Illness

• The Father’s Network, Coping with Chronic Illness
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Men’s Stories
• Black Men with Chronic Pain Show Greatest Risk for Depression
• RA Guy A great blog by a man who lives with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rest Ministries, the largest Christian organization that specifically serves the chronically ill, is the sponsor of the upcoming National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week, September 13-19, 2010.

Lisa Copen, 41, began Rest Ministries in 1996 following a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. “I was looking for a way to connect with others who were living with a chronic condition, for encouragement and support for what my life may hold,” says Copen.

After a few years of networking people who live with chronic conditions through online ministry and support groups in churches called HopeKeepers(R), Copen saw many people who were suffering from feeling misunderstood.

“Even those who coped the best with their physical limitations had a lot of emotions about feeling like no one understood how great the pain was,” shares Copen. “National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week was a way to be able to validate the pain people were feeling, and create more awareness overall, including in the faith communities.”

Many participants are having resource tables at their churches during Invisible Illness Week. Support groups are having community events and a lot of people are participating in online activities, including a virtual conference September 13-17 and blogging for the cause.

When you sign up for daily updates from http://InvisibleIllnessWeek.com you receive a free 80-page ebook written by Copen and other illness experts, “Chronic Illness Tips: 263 Ways to do More Than Just Get By.”

Rest Ministries provides a variety of resources and programs such as online daily devotionals one can receive via email. Copen has authored a dozen books for the ministry such as “Why Can’t I Make People Understand? Discovering The Validation Those with Chronic Illness Seek and Why.”

With nearly 1 in 2 people living with a chronic condition, about 96% of those people are suffering silently with invisible illnesses where their pain cannot be seen. Through Invisible Illness Week Rest Ministries hopes to let people know they are not alone and that someone does understand and care about their struggles.

Rest Ministries is an affiliate of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, the ministry of author and disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada.

For more information on how to participate visit the web site at http://InvisibleIllnessWeek.com